The world's first (and likely only) asparagus opera premiered earlier this week at Harvard's Graduate School of Design. Guests in attendance at Food Opera: Four Asparagus Compositions dined on an asparagus-themed menu while listening to music specifically composed to enhance the flavors and textures of this favored spring vegetable. So what does asparagus sound like, we ask?

There's not necessarily a one-to-one correspondence between each ingredient and an instrument, but we're definitely emphasizing the woody element of asparagus with the cello and marimba, and the togarishi is evoked by the sparkling, chiming quality of the high crotales. I think the marimba pattern also has a kind of rolling, liquid quality to it.